Chapter 2460: The Weak Have Nothing, the Strong Devour All

Ling Mountain has already invaded Yujing City, the Heavenly Demon is also stirring, and Shangguan Biao still needs to speed up absorbing and digesting the newly captured Panlong Ruins...

Here, any random matter would normally keep him occupied for a long time, let alone three happening at once.

Under these circumstances, Shangguan Biao's most appropriate course of action is to conceal himself, first using the Secret Realm to drain the strength of He Lingchuan and others.

And he has already leaked the news of Emperor Jiuyou personally arriving in Yujing City to the Heavenly Demon, who will certainly take action.

This will buy time for it to absorb the Panlong Ruins and dissect the Great Square Vessel.

This is a deadly game of hide-and-seek; as long as He Lingchuan and others never discover him, he has already won half the battle.

Immortal Mingke also arrived, leaping down from the ark to scrutinize Shangguan Biao: "Indeed not a living person! Who would have thought, the true master of Yujing City is also a dead soul?"

A living person cannot hide within the Wind-Dew Golden Lotus; only a solitary soul can.

This is why other adventurers who entered the Duzhi Mountain Secret Realm, including Baochi Shan, have never suspected that the ultimate boss behind the scenes hides within the lotus.

Shangguan Biao has thus remained invisible before everyone's eyes.

"Or rather, the true master of Yujing City is also a guardian spirit!" He Lingchuan stared at Shangguan Biao, enunciating each word: "You were indeed long dead; Liu Yisheng's scheming against you back then actually succeeded. Yet you transformed yourself into the 'Flowing Light' Secret Realm's guardian spirit!"

"For this reversal against the odds, my evaluation of you is this!" He Lingchuan gave him a thumbs-up.

After defeating the other two factions of Longfeng Valley, Liu Yisheng, wary of Shangguan Biao's strength, meticulously set up a lethal trap.

He truly succeeded in killing Shangguan Biao!

This is also why later generations never discuss Shangguan Biao: victor and king, loser and bandit.

Since Shangguan Biao is dead, he is a loser, unworthy of being recorded in history.

But Shangguan Biao ultimately had the upper hand; though he died, his soul did not vanish, but he properly utilized the spoils in his possession:

The "Flowing Light" Secret Realm of Longfeng Valley Sect Master Wang Ye.

Immortal Mingke suddenly understood: "So all those people who previously sneaked into Yujing City to steal the Stone Heart, each and every one failed. They were all looking in the wrong direction!"

Previous intruders, even if they realized the white house was a trap, would at most think it was hidden by the Earth Mother in some more secret place. Their goal was merely to find the hidden location of the Stone Heart.

This is Shangguan Biao's double misdirection.

These people died without knowing why, from beginning to end never expecting that the true master of this ghost city is also an evil spirit!

It is not the Earth Mother at all.

Thus, the monsters of Yujing City have never heard the name Shangguan Biao.

The very existence of Yujing City is already strange enough; and he is like a ghost, living in this city, dwelling in corners unseen by anyone, secretly manipulating everything.

He cannot make his name last ten thousand years, but he can make every person who attacks Yujing City meet their doom.

Shangguan Biao tilted his head to examine him, his eyes full of bewilderment: "How did you figure it out?"

His true self is attached to the golden lotus in the Duzhi Mountain Secret Realm; this alone almost puts him in an invincible position. Countless intruders before have all failed without exception, yet this person before him, with clear reasoning, can see through all his arrangements in the Secret Realm?

Why, specifically, Emperor Jiuyou?

Then there is only one possibility: Emperor Jiuyou's attainments in Secret Realms are at least not inferior to Shangguan Biao's!

How could this be? Accumulation of experience and knowledge requires time and ordeals; even with the aid of the Great Square Vessel, mere cramming of knowledge into the mind cannot be truly mastered. Emperor Jiuyou is young; even if he started studying from his mother's womb, he could not possibly catch up to this veteran of several thousand years.

Moreover, with only this level of ability from a few decades, what qualification does he have to rebuild the Panlong Secret Realm?

He Lingchuan simply could not be bothered to answer.

He gazed at Shangguan Biao, his eyes not concealing his contempt:

"Even toward your own people, you must play gods and ghosts. You will never learn to be open and aboveboard, and will forever be a lone wolf. Your tens of thousands of subordinates—you cannot find a single loyal and usable one."

"Everyone under heaven can be killed! Those close to you can all betray!" Shangguan Biao's words echoed in this mountain valley: "Those weaklings like broken tiles and rotten ropes are born to be enslaved and trampled; how dare they stand beside me?"

Grow stronger, grow stronger, grow stronger!

The weak possess nothing; the strong devour all.

Only by strengthening oneself is there true righteousness in this world!

During the exchange, He Lingchuan and others also charged at him. Shangguan Biao, however, rebounded backward, standing by the pool's edge, pulling his mouth into a cold smile.

"You think you can defeat me here? Too naive!"

This is his Secret Realm, his!

"I have never before seen a living person serving as a guardian spirit!" He stared at He Lingchuan, eyes eager: "Once I take you down, I will surely slice you apart for thorough study!"

Immortal Mingke couldn't help but glance at He Lingchuan; Shangguan Biao said, Emperor Jiuyou is also a guardian spirit?

He should not be speaking without basis.

Indeed, the most direct way for Secret Realms to devour each other is through the mutual devouring of guardian spirits!

The war between Yujing City and Panlong Ancient City ultimately comes down to a battle between two great guardian spirits!

If Shangguan Biao wins, Yujing City will completely annex Panlong Ancient City;

If Emperor Jiuyou wins, Panlong Ancient City will defeat Yujing City!

At this stalemate, it is already a situation where the winner takes all and the loser is devoured completely.

Immortal Mingke's magical artifact also lashed out, but Shangguan Biao's rear, the calm pool surface, suddenly exploded, and a huge, sturdy figure surged onto the ground!

This is a black-skin giant crocodile, over eight zhang tall, its scales like armor, its tail comparable to a hard pole, and just its mouth alone is two zhang long.

Its sprint speed contrasts sharply with its massive, clumsy build—so fast it leaves afterimages, its gaping maw aiming not at He Lingchuan, but at Shangguan Biao opposite him.

With a crack, the giant crocodile suddenly swung its tail, its jaws snapping shut.

Shangguan Biao dodged again a step ahead, and where he had originally stood, a gloomy shadow now appeared.

Zhu Xiuer!

It turns out the giant crocodile's target was not Shangguan Biao, but the earth-hole spider queen preparing to ambush him.

Although this monster appeared for the first time, He Lingchuan immediately associated it with its true identity:

Wu Ao.

This is a monster Shangguan Biao kneaded together from crocodile demon bones and Earth Mother rock ash, usually dwelling in the deep pool Secret Realm.

The several Secret Realms under Shangguan Biao's control had guardian spirits and monsters that could be swapped, and Wu Tuo came here to protect his master.

Just now, when He Lingchuan made a move here, Zhu Xiuer used her disguise colors to circle behind Shangguan Biao, preparing to launch a sneak attack.

However, its calculations were seen through by Wu Tuo.

And Wu Tuo and Shangguan Biao cooperated seamlessly, not off by a hair's breadth. With Shangguan Biao's dodge, Zhu Xiuer pounced right onto his position, forced to face Wu Tuo's big mouth head-on.

(End of Chapter)